A Smile That Can Never Die
by Izumi-Of-The-Shadows
Summary: Just a Shikamaru one-shot that I made last year. Its an OC because I like OC's


Shikamaru and Yuko were 10 and in the acadamy running around after school on the playground. Today during lesson was about people who abandoned the village and turned evil. Shikamaru and Yuko were talking about just that.

"Yuko?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah Shika?"

"Would you ever leave the village?"

"No what would make you think that?"

"I don't know. It just kinda popped in my head."

"Oh ok." Yuko said and we got back to playing.

-2 years later-

Yuko felt horrible. She betrayed her promise to Shikamaru saying she would never leave the village, and here she was at the Village of the Stars. She ran away about 2 years ago, after Sasuke left but she didn't leave to find him or because he left. Life was just getting to hectic and she couldn't take it anymore. Sasuke fangirls were going crazy and so was Naruto, Shikamaru never had anytime to hang, so Yuko left the village feeling rejected and ignored. Of course she tried getting people's attention but they always ignored her because they were all to busy with other things then to hang with her. So one night she packed up and left. She left a note on the nightstand by her bed saying:

Hi, if your reading this then I have left the village. I felt left out on everything because I was getting ignored and everyone was worrying about Sasuke. I felt like I needed to leave to give people a reminder I was there and you shouldn't neglect to be with your friends. Don't worry I'll be back someday, just think of it as a very long vacation.

~Yuko

No one came after her probably still worrying about the Sasuke fiasco. It didn't matter though. Yuko hadn't encountered any trouble out here in the Star Village. Here she got a job at a bar where everyone knew her. Yuko got an apartment and she has been living there for about 1 1/2 years. Yuko had occasional flashbacks to her past with her old friends. Shikamaru, Choji, Shino, and Kiba. They all probably missed her like crazy. Occasionally Yuko shed tears about leaving her friends and not saying a proper good-bye.

3 Years Later

With Shikamaru

Continuing another day as usual without the presence of Yuko. She left and they all missed her dearly. Lady Tsunade said they should forget about Yuko and move on with their lives and if she is ever found she would become an ex-ninja and probably put in prison for leaving the Village. Shikamaru sighed, he didn't want Yuko to be locked up, infact he wished she never left. She was his best friend when they were little. Kiba often brought everything up about her and made all of them miss her more. Kakashi had sent Pakkun out to follow her scent once but only to be told that she covered her scent and couldn't be found. There was nothing we could do. Of course Naruto wanted to find her and bring her back but Tsunade told him she needed her time and space. So Naruto focused on finding Sasuke.

Shikamaru's POV

It has been 3 years and we are all 15 now, well some of us are 16. Yuko left 3 years ago today. Everything was so hectic and Yuko was ignored. I admit I was even ignoring her because I had missions to do. She was always so understanding and I never thought she would have left because of that. Yuko never had any mission because she was a girl and wasn't thought to be tough enough so they gave her horribly easy missions. I mean she did the missions but she didn't like them. She was tough, really tough. But her feelings got in the way of her full potential. She always worried about anything and everything. I always wondered if she had ignored her feelings would she still have left or would she still be in her house all alone waiting for someone to come over. Everyday I walked over by her house to see if she came back while we were all asleep but she hasn't returned. Lady Tsunade didn't consider her as a Missing Nin, she considered her as an outsider and like she went on a vacation with her family. Tsunade thinks that she will come back and Konoha will welcome her back with open arms and I agree with that.

"Hey Shikamaru what's up?" Choji asked walking along the streets probably on his way home. Or out to eat. Training was dismissed not to long ago and I was on my way home.

"Nothing just thinking, what about you?" I replied.

"On my way home." He paused. "Are you thinking about Yukomaru again?"

I only nodded. I always called her Yuko since the first day I met her.

-Flashback-

"Take your seats, class is starting" Iruka-sensei called.

I sat in my usual seat, in the back unnoticed. It was the easiest place to be able to fall asleep.

"We have a new student today." He stopped to wave the new student in. "Her name is Yukomaru Niwa. Yukomaru would you like to say some things?" She nodded shyly.

"Um...Hi, as he said I am Yukomaru Niwa. Um... If you could please call me Yuko or Yuko-chan." She said very shyly.

"Okay Yukomaru can you please take a seat anywhere you would like to."

She nodded and walked very slowly. She sat between 2 nobodies really. I sighed and layed my head on the desk.

-Skip time-

It is time for lunch and Choji and I walked out up to the roof and started to look at clouds while eating chips like usual. I heard someone walking up the stairs but I ignored it. I noticed the stepping stopped at the top of the stairs which was the roof. I looked over at the person and it was Yukomaru.

"Hey Yuko-chan!" Choji said. She squeaked a little bit as a reply. I waved. She walked over and sat next to Choji. I looked back at the clouds.

"They look like puffs of smoke that could disappear at the slightest touch" Yukomaru said startling me. She was so quiet and then suddenly an ouburst. I looked over at her and she flinched.

"Why did you finch?" I asked her.

"Huh? Oh no reason." She said a little afraid like we were gonna hurt her.

Lunch soon ended and we all made our way back to class.

End Flashback

That was 6 years ago. I sighed as Choji and I parted. I waved and said goodbye and started to walk towards my house.

I walked boredly and looked up and the clouds occasionally looking down to see if I was going to run into someone. I soon made it to my house.

Yukomaru's POV

"Thank-you have a nice day" I said as cheerfully as I possibly could. I left Konoha this very day 3 years ago.

Ever since then I went to the Water Country. I now live in Kiri, running a flower shop. Everyday I think about Shikamaru and Choji. Ino and Hinata too. Not to much Sakura though, she was a real pain. I doubt anyone misses me. I always thought that. No one acknowledged my presence when I was around so why would they miss me? I walked around the shop and cut off all the dead stems of the plants. I was kinda sad but I didn't show it. I couldn't. Ever since I left I haven't felt any emotion at all. I couldn't cry, I couldn't get mad, I couldn't even love. I tried to regain my emotions but I couldn't. I wasn't happy. I wasn't truely ever happy.

The Mizukage walked into the shop.

"Hello Mizukage, what brings you here?" I asked with a fake smile.

"Yukomaru, I know you use to be a ninja and still train out in any open fields you find so I am going to send you on this mission for me ok?"

"Um sure. I'll have to get Mitsuki to run the shop while I'm gone."

"Yukomaru I want you to go to Konoha, where you once came from and stay there." I looked at her shocked and confused.

"But why?"

"I can tell your not happy and I know you don't feel any emotion what so ever. Remember I am the Mizukage, even though I may not be old and extremely experianced like Sarutobi Hokage was, but I still know when someone is faking there happiness and is running away from there past. You came here 3 years ago and I thought it is about time to return to your rightful village and see your friends again."

"How did you know Mizukage?"

"Lets just call it a girls intuiton."

"Thank you Mizukage. I will return to Konoha and stay on one condition."

"What may that be?"

"Don't tell Lady Tsunade I am coming back. I want it to be a surprise."

"Alright"

"Goodbye Mizukage"

"Goodbye Yukomaru, maybe we will cross paths again."

I ran upstairs to my room and gathered all of my belongings and packed them into my backpack. I met Mitsuki at the village gate and I told her about what I was doing and I waved goodbye as I took one final look at the village, my old home.

I ran at an immense speed and got to the village gates in about a week.

Shikamaru's POV

Today I was suppose to watch the village gates. Since I was a chunnin I had to. It was really boring. I did get to look at clouds most of the time though. I saw a figure in the distance and stood up to be ready for anything. As the figure got a little closer I saw that it was a female and she looked vaguely familiar. She had red hair and yellow eyes. It was the rarest thing to see yellow eyes. The girl had curves to. As she got closer and closer I reliezed I knew her.

It was Yukomaru.

She was absolutely stunning and gorgeous. I could stare at her forever. She waved a hand infront of my face and said in an emotionless voice. "Um can you take me to the Hokage?"

I nodded. She acted like she didn't know me at all. But of course it has been 3 years but I don't even look different. Her on the other hand, Holy Hell.

We made our way to the Hokage's mansion in silence. She walked in and I left. Kinda sad that she didn't remember me. I finally got back to the gate to resume the boring job I was givin.

Yukomaru's POV

I finally walked through the gates of Konoha and was greeted by a boy with his hair in a ponytail. He looked like he was dazed. I shook my hand infront of his face. I asked if he could take me to the Hokage and he nodded so we went on our way. It was silent the whole way there and when we did get there he left after I walked in.

"Hello Lady Tsunade."

"Hello Yukomaru Niwa"

She turned around in her chair and said-

"Naruto is going to freak when he sees you."

"What do you mean? Everyone ignored me. They didn't even miss me."

"Yes they did. Naruto wanted to go and find you but no one could pick up a scent. Kiba and Akamaru couldn't either. Shikamaru wanted to find you too, but I bet he already explained that."

"What do you mean I haven't seen Shikamaru at all."

"Didn't you notice? You were walking with him."

"That was Shikamaru?" I asked kinda shocked.

"Yes it was. But anyway, we still have your home waiting for you and everything is exactly the way you left it so go catch up with some people." I nodded and left.

First I have to find Shikamaru, and tell him I was sorry for not remembering who he was. I ran out of the mansion and ran into Naruto, who was going on a rant about not seeing someone for years and wanting to go get them, yada yada yada.

"YUKOMARU, I MEAN YUKO-CHAN! YOUR FINALLY BACK! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH, DON'T EVER LEAVE AGAIN!"Naruto yelled hugging me to death. I hugged him back but not with the same enthusiasm as him.

"Hey Naruto, long time no see. How've you been?" I asked him.

"GOOD, WHEN DID YOU GET BACK?"

"A little while ago actually."

"HAVE YOU SEEN ANYONE ELSE?"

"No not yet." I didn't feel like telling him I saw Shikamaru, because we acted as if we never met before.

"OH I HAVE AN IDEA. I'LL TAKE YOU AROUND TO SEE EVERYBODY!"

"Okay Captain Hyper." I said using my old nickname on him. He grinned his signature grin.

Kiba was next to find. He was acting stupid at first.

"Hey gorgeous how's it going?"

"Kiba stop flirting, don't you remember who I am?"

"Yuko-chan? Is that you?"

"Yes you dimwit now give me a hug."

He ran over and sqeezed me so tightly and Akamaru jumped up and attacked me with his tounge. It felt funny to have a big dog attack you with kisses. Kiba joined Naruto and I and we went to find Neji. We found him with Gai and another Gai? But I thought Gai-sensei couldn't use nin-jutsu? Neji and one of the Gai's walked up to me and started talking.

"Yuko-chan your back!" one of the Gai's said.

"Hi Gai?"

"I'm not Gai-sensei, it's me, Rock Lee."

"You look like Gai's clone!" I said shocked.

"And is that a bad thing?"

"N-No not if it isn't to you"

"Lee just leave her alone before you scare her." Neji said.

"Thanks Neji" I whispered to him, he just nodded.

I saw TenTen a little ways away probably regaining her breath. Naruto, Kiba, Neji, Lee, and I started walking around the village when we saw Ino and Sakura talking. They both stopped and looked at me. Ino ran up to me and hugged me for dear life. Sakura stayed put though. The two joined us in out walk. We started out as 2 people and it grew to 7 people quickly. We walked to the front gates to find Shikamaru. As we approached the gates a group of 3 were walking up to the gates too. I could tell in the distance it was Shino, Hinata, and Choji. We kept walking and I saw Shikamaru again. But this time I knew who he was. He looked older more mature then when I first met him. He walked over to me and we stood there looking each other in the eyes. I had the urge to embrace him tightly and I did.

I hugged him as if I was going to leave again. Then I started to cry. I was so happy to finally see my lifelong friend again. We let go of the embrace and Shikamaru wiped away my tears and said "It's okay, everything is back to the way it was. Your finally back and we all missed you."

I cried harder the feeling of being loved and my tears coming back to me spilling out I was happy. Then Shikamaru said-

"And after all these years it took me to relize it, I finally know my true feelings. I- I love you Yuko."

I was so surprised I couldn't say anything. Until I said "I love you too."

And after that he leaned down, staring right into my eyes and kissed me. The most passionate kiss I have ever had in my life. As we kissed I felt an electric shock go down my . spine. We pulled away and I smiled. One of the biggest smiles I gave since I was 5.

And I relized, I was where I was supposed to be. In the arms of Shikamaru. And surrounded by the friends I made so long ago. My smile never faded.

A smile that can never die.


End file.
